Frame structure for multicrankshaft engines



April 4, 1953 s. PIELSTICK 2,634,586

FRAME STRUCTURE FOR MULTICRANKSHAF T ENGINES Filed July 2, 1949 LQ fl 89 l2 1 l3 4 a b 5 I6 I? IN VENTOR,

Gus TAV P/ELST/CK A TTORNE V3 Patented Apr. 14, 1953 OFFICE FRAMESTRUCTURE FOR MULTICRANK- SHAFT ENGINES Gustav Pielstick,Saint-Germain-en-Laye, France 7 Application July 2, 1949, Serial No.102,810 In France July 9, 1948 1 Claim. 1

This invention relates to multi-crankshaft engines of the general typedescribed and claimed in my copending U. S. patent application Ser. No.102,808 filed concurrently herewith for: Improvements in and Relating toMulticrankshaft Engines and is more specifically concerned with theprovision of an improved frame structure for such an engine. 7

In my said co-pending application Ser. No. 102,808 I describe animproved arrangement of the component parts of a combustion enginewhereby it is possible to construct high-powered unitary power-plantshaving reduceddimensions and wherein the power output at any time may besimply and efficiently fractionized according to the particular powerrequirements at that time, thereby to achieve substantial savings infuel even under reduced load operating conditions. The said arrangementconsists of the provision of a plurality of laterally-spacedcrankshafts, arranged generally parallel or slightly at an angle withone another, and a plurality of banks of cylinder-and-piston drive unitsextending parallel and adjacent to related'ones of said crankshafts, theunits in each bank being each adapted to actuate correspondingcrank-throws of the crankshafts related to that bank. The crankshaftsare described as having their crankthrows in equal numbers with thecorresponding throws of all of the crankshafts located in commontransverse planes. And the cylinders in the respective banks are statedas being vertical or inclined. Moreover, some preferred specificembodiments are shown and described as comprising three and fourcrankshafts.

In my further concurrently-filed co-pending U. S. patent application,Ser. No. 102,809 for Improvements in and Relating to a Frame Structurefor Multicrankshaft Engines, I describe and claim a frame structureparticularly designed for a power-plant arrangement of the abovementioned general type. The engine frame described and shown thereinessentially comprises a unitary integral element or elementsintegrallyand rigidly assembled together and formed adjacent its base with meansfor rctat-' related banks of cylinders. The whole arrangement of theengine frame is described as symmetrical with respect to a verticallongitudinal centre plane. Partitioning means are provided to defineindividual operating chambers for the crankshafts with oil sumps at thebottom of the chambers.

A fundamental characteristic of such second application is the fact thatthe lower pair of units and their bellied crankshaft areas together withthe oil sumps therefor, are wholly located with-- in the lower contourarea of the frame, while the.

crankshaft areas, with the elements of the upper unit or units beingpositioned between the simi-' lar elements of the lower pair of units.This arrangement inherently locates the symmetrical axis of theassembly, the axis of which is sym-.

metric to the individual axes of all of the bellied areas of theassembly, and forming the axis of 1 the drive shaft of the assembly,above and spaced from the mid or axial area of the frame, with thelatter spaced above and angularly related to the axes of the belliedareas of the pair of lower units, with the angle between the mid oraxial. area and. each lower bellied area axis being at Since thisspecific arrange-1 the necessity may frequently arise of providing.

two or more unitary power-plants or power-units of the type describedarranged in longitudinal alignment with one another. It then becomesnecessary to lead the output shaft from one unit assembly through theengine-frame of anotherunit assembly located between the first unitassembly and the screw. In Figure 3 of my copending application Ser. No.102,809 there is shown an engine frame designed for such purpose andcomprising a central recess or tunneladapted to provide separating andsupporting means for such a shaft extending from another unit assembly.It is a general object of this inv vention to amplify on the teachingsof said ap-r n plication Ser. No. 102,809 as regards the construction ofsuch a special engine frame.

An object of the present invention is to provide a multicrankshaftengine frame of the type described which comprises means for leading anoutput shaft extending from another power unit through said engine framein such a way that said shaft'will be supported therein while notinterfering with the operation of the crankshafts operatively mounted insaid frame.

Another object is to provide a multicrankshaft engine frame of standardconstruction which will enable the arrangement of two or moremulticrankshaft power plants in longitudinallyaligned relationship withone another and each of which may comprise a similar type of standardframe, whereby said two or more power plants may be made to drive acommon output shaft.

A further object is to provide such a standard multicrankshaft engineframe construction formed 'with a longitudinal through recess thereinsuch that when said recess is not used to lead a central output shafttherethrough, itmay be sealed so as to form a container as for a supplyof fresh lubricant or other purposes.

Other and further objects and advantages of the invention will appearfrom a perusal of the ensuin disclosure when read in conjunction withthe acompanying diagrammatical drawing, given for purposes ofillustration merely and not of limitation, and wherein:

Figure l is a cross-sectional view of a multicrankshaft engine frameaccording to the present invention.

Figure 2 is a side elevation of the frame .portion of one of the unitassemblies or power units, the view including a sectional portion of oneof the transverse unit structures of the Figure 3 form, the sectionbeing taken on line II-II of Fig. 3, the view also indicating the bankchar-v the frame are a lower pair of 'crankshafts 2, 3

and the related substantially upstanding. banks of cylinders i and 5.The arrangement is symmetrical on each side of the vertical centre planeX -'-X of the frame. A bottom cover 5 seals'the base'of the frame anddefines a pair of'oil sumps or chambers F.

' The frame I adjacent upper crankshafts 8, 9 and their sumps 2 and i3thereto. 1

In the latter structure, the upper contour of the frame forms the lowerwall of the upper units and the sumps I2 and [3. As a result of sucharrangement, it is apparent that the symmetrical axis of the assembly,the axis symmetrical to the bellied areas of the crankshafts of all ofthe units, is located above the mid or axial area vertically of theframe. In addition, the axes of the lower pair of bellied crankshaftareas are each located a material distance below such mid or axial areaof the frame and angularly related thereto at an angle of at least 90".1

Between the upper oil sumps or chambers l2; l3 a' recess .or tunnel .14is defined adapted to have extending therethrough a drive or outputshaft l'5 leading from a rearwardly-arranged power plant I, .as shown inFig. 2. The walls of the tunnel I l are defined by the walls a and b ofthe its top mounts apair of I '55 with the upstanding cylinder banksif], H related upper oil sumps l2 and I3, and the walls c and d of thelower oil sumps or chambers l. The sides of the tunnel M are completedby inclined sheet elements [6 and I! as shown thus providing a sealedenclosure for the tunnel [4.

The embodiment illustrated in Figs. 2 and 3 differs from that justdescribed in connection with Fig. 1 merely in that the upper banks ofcylinders l0 and l I are inclined rather than vertical. As a result thepattern in cross-section is somewhat altered. The essential featuresnevertheless-remain the same as in the first-described embodiment, asmay readily be ascertained from acomparison of Figures 1 and 3, in whichsimilar references have been used to designate corresponding parts.Figure 2 presents a side elevation of the frame portion of a unitassembly made up of all the assembly units which are contained in thebank which represents the length of the assembly, the frame being basedon the structure shown in Figure 3. A'porti'on'of the view (Fig.2)

is asection of one of the transverse -unit' struc tures of Figure 3 withthe'section taken on line- II'-II of said figure, the length of theframe'indi cating a succession of such transverse structures with eachcooperating with a different crank or throw of the crankshafts. positeends of the frame are provided with end bearings l8 and I9, these beingarranged relative to the symmetrical axis and forming the support forthe section of the drive shaft which is individual to the unit assemblyor power unit.

Since the present invention'is designed'for service under heavy'dutyconditions, the invention contemplates the use of a plurality of suchunit assemblies or power units, these being 'ar ranged in successionlongitudinally. Inasmuch as such servicemay vary, as with shippropulsion; the drive shaft I 5 is made individual to the power unit,with the ends of the sections arranged to. be coupled together to form acontinuous shaft This permits variations in the power employed inservice, since it would be possible to uncouple power units bydisengaging the connections be tween shaft sections, 'or to increase thepower by increasing the number of power units active 'in' drive shaftsection's 'toservice by coupling the gether.

As will be understood, a multi-power assentblage of such type maybe-very lengthy, as' in' ship propulsion service, by the use of'aplurality} of such power units, yet the widthor transverse dimensionsof} the assemblage are comparativelynarrow and are substantially uniformfrom end to end.

sealed at the ends thereof with any suitable cover plates, not shown,and may then be used as a container, for example to hold a supply offresh lubricant oil or the like purposes, thereby eliminating anadditional tank of comparatively-large capacity, which might otherwisebe required.

It will of course be understoodthat the invention is not restricted tothe specific details ofconstruction illustrated and described, but onlyby the scope defined in the ensuing claim.

What I claim is:

In a power plant of themulti-crankshaft type, comprising a plurality ofpowerunits, each com--- As indicated, the op-- prising alined cylindersand pistons with a related crankshaft, gear means connecting saidcrankshaft to a main power shaft, a central structural frame supportingall of said units, two of said units having their respective crankshaftslocated in the lowermost part of said frame and below the central axisthereof, said two power units having their cylinders projecting upwardlyfrom said frame, the lines connecting said central axis with the axis ofeach crankshaft of said lower power units forming an angle of at least90, the plane passing through the projecting cylinders and thecrankshafts of said lower power units forming an acute angle with thevertical, the remaining one or two power units being mounted on theupper part of the frame symmetrically with respect to said frame centralaxis, and an open ended tunnel shaped passageway in the 6 centralportion of said frame formed by partitions provided within said frame,said tunnel forming a passageway for the main powershaft of the powerplant or for a main powershaft of another independent powerplantin'alinement with the first powerplant.

GUSTAV PIELSTICK.

References Cited in the file of this patent UNITED STATES PATENTS NumberName Date 1,466,394 Fornaca Aug. 28, 1923 2,097,583 Bogert Nov. 2, 19372,419,305 Woolson et al Apr. 22, 1947 FOREIGN PATENTS Number CountryDate 429,805 France June 27, 1911

